1001: Hospitality's 2025 Reckoning — And What Comes Next in 2026

We got something cool for episode 1001! Props to Katie Cline at the Skift Suite Success: Masters of Hospitality podcast for this one. I joined an end-of-year roundtable with some of the most thoughtful voices in hashtag#hospitality media to reflect on what actually mattered in 2025 and what could reshape 2026. Huge thanks to everyone who brought real perspective (and disagreement) to the table: 🎙️: Katie Cline — Suite Success 🎙️: Josiah Mackenzie — Hospitality Daily 🎙️: Zach Busekrus — Behind the Stays 🎙️: David Millili & 🎙️Steve Carran — The Modern Hotelier On hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I focused on two things that kept showing up in every conversation this year — and won't go away in 2026: • the confusion and overconfidence around AI, and • the growing economic bifurcation between ultra-luxury and everyone else. I also shared why I think profitability pressure, critical thinking, and realistic expectations will define the next cycle — and why hospitality needs to stop parroting talking points and start asking harder questions. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What this roundtable covers: 🧠: Where hashtag#AI helps — and where the industry oversells it 💰: Why protecting profit mattered more than top-line growth in 2025 🏨: The growing gap between ultra-luxury and the rest of the market 🤝: Why loyalty programs face an identity crisis 🎤: Why conferences, panels, and media need real voices — not scripts 🔮: What each of us sees coming in 2026 (and what worries us) Question for you: Which 2025 trend do you think hoteliers misunderstood the most heading into 2026?

Well… this happened. This is episode 1,000 of No Vacancy is live. What started as me, a mic, and no real plan (OK, the original plan was to dominate the universe, but that proved too ambitious) turned into a platform that somehow became part of how this industry talks to itself. This episode purposely short. No guest. No agenda. Just a pause to acknowledge the milestone — and the timing. In 2026, hashtag#NoVacancyNews turns 10, which makes this episode feel a lot like a major milestone with everything lining up. On hashtag#NoVacancyNews, I touch on how the show started, how it shifted from audio to video, and why consistency matters more than getting it perfect. Why this episode exists: 🎙️: Because 1,000 episodes feels worth acknowledging and is great for shameless self-promotion 📺: Because moving to video changed everything - forcing me to get in better shape. 🤝: Because this only works with a real community behind it – like I mean it! 🏨: Because hospitality people show up, even when things get complicated. Like during Covid when most everyone became 'real' 😅: Because sticking with something this long is still shocking for a lazy lug like me If you've listened, watched, shared, disagreed, or stopped me in a hashtag#hotel conference hallway over the years — thank you. And if we haven't met yet, I can't wait to be of your acquaintance. Next stop: episode 1,001… and year 10. Thanks to my amazing team: Suzanne Bagnera, PhD, CHA, CED, David Mignano, CRME and Crystal O'Donnell Happy Holidays and we'll see you in a couple of weeks with some great new episodes!!!

Everyone keeps asking the same question: Is hotel development slowing down? The global numbers say something very different — and far more nuanced. I checked in with Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics for a worldwide pipeline update that cuts through assumptions and looks at what's really happening across regions, segments, and timelines. On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce explains why room counts remain historically high, why developers deliberately push openings into later years, and why renovations and conversions now matter as much as ground-up construction. This conversation focuses less on hype and more on how capital actually behaves when markets tighten. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What the data actually shows: 🌍: Global pipeline remains massive — but not evenly distributed 🏗️: Projects already under construction tell a different story than announcements 🇨🇳: China still dominates room count, but activity continues to normalize 🏨: Luxury holds firm while other segments feel pressure 🔄: Renovations and conversions reshape supply faster than new builds 📆: Developers delay openings by choice, not panic 🎢: Orlando and Dallas attract momentum for very different reasons

Luxury no longer means chandeliers and thread count. It means connection, memory, and how guests feel long after checkout. I caught up with Robert Reitknecht at INSPIRE Luxury, hosted by the International Luxury Hotel Association, live from Resorts World Las Vegas. (Important context: this was my 10th day in Vegas, so expectations were appropriately managed.) On #NoVacancyNews, Robert explains how luxury hotels move from performative service to genuine connection, why frontline teams shape the guest story more than any design element, and how leaders must "lean into the brand" without losing authenticity. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Takeaways: 🏨: Why luxury now centers on memory, not material things 👥: How frontline teams directly influence the guest's emotional takeaway 🎯: Why leaders must engage staff before guests arrive 🧠: How listening creates better service cues than scripting ✨: The shift from perfection to progress in luxury operations 📖: Why guests remember stories — not lamps, lobbies, or furniture

Some resorts talk about experiences — Westgate builds them at theme-park scale. I visited Westgate Vacation Villas with Jared Saft, Chief Business and Strategy Officer, to explore how this company evolved from 16 original units into a massive, guest-focused resort with 3,000 rooms, a full waterpark, a Chuck E. Cheese–powered arcade, an in-lobby movie theater, and a $120 million reinvestment underway. On #NoVacancyNews, Jared walks through how Westgate designs spaces for toddlers, teens, parents, and grandparents at the same time, how they turned nostalgia into a modern attraction, and how they're expanding into more than 40 new destinations in just seven months. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What you'll see on this tour: 🏨: How Westgate grew from 16 units to 14,000+ across the portfolio 🎬: Why they built a full movie theater right in the check-in lobby 🧒: How kid-first design keeps families engaged (and sane) on peak weekends 👾: Chuck E. Cheese partnerships, retro arcades, and Mystery Funhouse nostalgia 🍭: A candy shop with a waterslide literally running through it 🌊: Shipwreck Island — a full waterpark wrapping around the building 🌮: The strategy behind Los Amigos, Sid's American Kitchen, and Megabytes 🚀: How Westgate thinks about thoughtful, entrepreneurial expansion Question for you: What's the most impressive family-focused feature you've seen at a resort?

Newport Beach looks luxurious from the outside — but its secret sauce is heart, identity, and a fiercely intentional brand strategy. On #NoVacancyNews, I teamed up with my Friday Night Audit partner-in-crime Craig Sullivan to talk with Gary Sherwin, CEO of Visit Newport Beach, about how one of America's most aspirational coastal cities keeps its charm, avoids the "sea of sameness," and delivers the version of Southern California people dream about. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Here's what we cover: 🌴: How Newport Beach built a destination brand that hotels actually use 💼: Why 100% locally owned hotels strengthen the community's identity 🏖️: How Newport avoids the "two people holding hands on a beach" cliché trap 💡: Why luxury now means accessible, customized, and never stuffy 🎯: How the city stays true to its brand promise across every neighborhood 🎨: Why in-house creative helps the DMO avoid homogenized marketing 🎄: How "50 Days of Festive Fun" became a massive holiday driver 🍽️: The rise of high-end dining, RH's splashy opening, and what's coming next 🏆: Why taking creative risks beats playing it safe — every time Question for you: What U.S. destination delivers the experience you imagined before you arrived?

This week Dan Lesser, Co-Founder, President, & CEO at LW Hospitality Advisors shares some cockatils and laughs with Glenn, Craig and Doctor Prodcuer Suzanne.

Some management companies build hotels. Olympia Hospitality builds identity. I spoke with Sara Masterson (President) and John Schultzel (Chief Growth Officer) about how Olympia blends independent spirit, strong brand partnerships, and mission-driven hospitality across destinations like Nantucket, Boston, Winter Park, the White Mountains, and beyond. On #NoVacancyNews, Sara and John explain how they combine boutique creativity with brand-backed consistency, how they think about technology adoption, and why community connection is becoming the core differentiator in both luxury and branded hotels. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. What we cover: 🏨 How Olympia mixes brand standards with independent personality 🌎 Why "place-based design" beats cookie-cutter hotel experiences 🎨 How to create a hotel that could only exist in one community ⚙️ Why fast-moving tech adoption matters more for younger teams 📈 How owners think about character, authenticity, and long-term performance ❤️ The Alfond Inn and Boone Tavern: hotels that literally fund education 💡 Why short-term bumps shouldn't scare hoteliers from long-term vision

Corporate travel isn't easing back into old habits — it's reinventing itself, and hoteliers who cling to the past will lose business they didn't even know they were missing. I spoke with Lukasz Dabrowski, SVP of Global Supplier Relations at HRS Group, about why 2025 became the turning point for travel procurement and how 2026 will reward hotels that understand converged demand, Level 3 data, and real-time negotiation. On #NoVacancyNews, Lukasz breaks down why annual RFP cycles are disappearing, how "travel CEOs" use invoice-level data to renegotiate instantly, and what hotels must change to stay competitive as AI and real-time visibility reshape corporate buying behavior. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Insights: 📊: Annual bid cycles are collapsing — continuous renegotiation is the new normal 📈: Corporations now evaluate total account contribution across all segments 🧠: Level 3 invoice data exposes where travelers actually stay and spend 🤝: Hoteliers must think like corporate buyers, not just sellers 🏨: Converged demand requires reorganizing sales teams — not more reps ⚙️: Virtual payment friction kills compliance and costs hotels real volume 🚗: Smaller brands win when they stop trying to be Ferraris and excel as Volkswagens 🎯: The "Golden Middle" strategy helps hotels balance ADR, occupancy, and guest satisfaction sustainably Question for you: What one change would make it easier for your hotel to win corporate business in 2026?

Most people know the names Marriott, Hilton, Wilson — but countless African American hoteliers helped build the foundation of American hospitality, and their stories rarely get told. I sat down with Calvin Stovall, author of Hidden Hospitality, to explore the remarkable journey behind his new book and the extraordinary hoteliers he uncovered along the way. Calvin spent decades researching these stories — from the late 1700s through the civil rights era — and the result is a stunning coffee table book filled with resilience, innovation, and legacy. On #NoVacancyNews, Calvin talks about the emotional moment he held the finished book for the first time, how the idea originated back in grad school, and why these stories matter for the next generation of leaders in our industry. A big thanks to Actabl — Actabl gives you the power to profit. Visit Actabl.com. Key Insights: 📘 How a graduate school research assignment became a lifelong mission 📰 The challenge of uncovering stories buried in microfiche archives 🏨 The African American hotel pioneers who built thriving businesses long before civil rights 💡 The incredible story of Joseph Lee — hotelier, inventor, and culinary innovator 📚 How Calvin raised the funding to publish a 90,000-word coffee table book 🔥 Why these stories can inspire a new generation of hotel ownership 🏛️ How segregation, community investment, and resilience shaped these early hotels